News Releases

Apr 18, 2000 13:20 PM

Dedicates New Simi Valley Production Site For Ink Jet Technology

Simi Valley, CA, April 18, 2000... Hitachi Koki Imaging Solutions, Inc., (HiKIS), a leading provider of networkable printers, copiers and printer consumables, today dedicated a new production facility designed to meet some of the highest standards in the development and manufacture of Ink Jet Technology anywhere in the world.

Ink Jet Technology, or "IJT", is a classification which refers to the critical components in business, commercial and industrial printing solutions which use jet projection devices to deliver precise droplets of ink to create documents, posters and signage. HiKIS has long been acknowledged as a pioneer in the IJT field and as a leader in Drop-on-Demand piezo ink jet design for industrial and specialty printing applications. Overall, HiKIS is credited with unmatched expertise in industrial ink jet technology and holds over 200 patents worldwide.

The 10,000 square foot facility which was dedicated today will house approximately 25 technicians and is located at 2390-A Ward Avenue in Simi Valley, California. Reconfigured on the site of a previous HiKIS manufacturing facility, the new plant is a certified "Class 1000" production facility. To qualify for the certification, HiKIS met some of the strictest manufacturing requirements in the world, including the complete reconstruction of interior spaces and the installation of special power plants, air handling and filtration systems which exceed the air cleanliness requirements of "clean rooms" found in many biochemical and pharmaceutical laboratories. Similar to "clean room" requirements, HiKIS lab technicians also don protective suits and visors to ensure the maintenance of those exacting limits on potential dust particles which might affect the final specifications of the parts being produced. A second similar IJT production facility is also in operation in Japan.

According to Mike Stramaglio, President and C.O.O of HiKIS, the completion of the new Ink Jet Technology facility is a visible symbol of the company's ongoing dedication to maintaining its position of strategic leadership in industrial and specialized printing technology. Noting that recent market estimates set manufacturer spending on printing costs in consumer and durable goods at over $150 billion per year, Stramaglio confirmed HiKIS' strategic commitment to meeting the specialized needs of this market.

"Today, we have 'raised the bar' in the field of Ink Jet Technology," stated Stramaglio. "This new facility is truly representative of the next generation in IJT, and will allow HiKIS to continue to meet even the most exacting needs of our existing customer base while allowing us to create new market opportunities around the globe."

Among the products to be produced in HiKIS' new facility are printheads which are being used by printing systems manufacturers around the world. These printing systems are used everyday to print high quality outdoor signage from poster size to billboard size. HiKIS provides the enabling technology that helps set industry benchmarks.

According to Joe Ryan, Director of Ink Jet Technology Business for HiKIS, the company has taken a world-leading position in supplying customized solutions to wide format graphics systems integrators. "We see great growth in this market," Ryan stated, "and users in this market, like billboard printers, require high performance". "They are often print-for-pay, so there's a lot of pressure to do it faster, better and more reliably". "Fortunately," Ryan concluded, "HiKIS technology and expertise has perfectly positioned us to support those unique demands."